Corruption in Uganda

UDC Newsletter, Vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 1-4,
19 January 1995

Within 9 years of NRM's reign, public corporations which are the
backbone of Uganda's monetary economy, have been bankrupted by
Museveni's appointees. Thank goodness, the majority of Ugandans
depend upon a semi-subsistence economy. Museveni's tribesmen
stampeded into fat positions to eat the living life out of the
economy under the banner of "Twarire" (we have eaten).

Most revealing of NRM's corruption is the bankruptcy of the
Country's largest and government-owned Uganda Commercial Bank LTD
(UCB). UCB controls over 80% of the commercial banking market.

NRM"s ruling clique gave themselves fraudulent loans worth over
62 billion shillings which they have classified as "delinquent
loans". That amount was confirmed by the Central Bank Governor,
Charles Kikonyogo. Later, a UCB official admitted that all the
bad loans were made during the 9 years of Yoweri K. Nyandwi
(Museveni) reign by and to his surrogates.

Nyandwi's (Museveni) sectarianism, corruption and outright
thievery is the saga of Uganda's economic mismanagement and
decay. First, appointments to high political and corporate
positions are mostly based on tribal origin. Second, fraudulent
loans were granted exclusively to Tutsis and Himas in order to
boost their economic dominance over others. Briefcase and paper
companies were concocted and flooded Kampala through which
millions were borrowed on the basis of a person's ethnicity and
signature. The bankruptcy of UCB has very serious adverse
repercussions for Uganda's economy.

The Monitor newspaper of Oct.26-28, 94, reported that "the names
behind UCB's bad debts include some of the most famous and
prominent politicians, soldiers, bankers and businessmen ". The
paper goes on to reveal that mifitary officers collectively owe
the bank at least Shs.281.25 million. That includes many RPF
commanders. Some of the soldiers who ate the money are diseased.

Here is a partial list of Nyandwi's (Museveni) closest military
and political allies who have milked Uganda's economy to death:

The late General Fred Rwigyema

Shs. 20.28 million

General Paul Kagame

24.49

Major General Elly Tumwine

52.36

Lt. Col. Sande Mukuru

16.60

The late Maj. Moses Aruho

21.50

Lt. Col. Kasirye Gwanga

27.90

Lt. Col. Jack Tushabe

29.43

Major Benon Biraro

17.27

Lt- Col. Ahmed Kashilingi

19.60

Lt. Col. Mulindwa

41.70

Col. Issa Habib Galugbe

25.18

Major Francis Achoka

10.03

NRM politicians are big holders of bad debts from UCB. This could
be the reason why they are anxious to write off the debts. Among
UCB swindlers are:

Hon. Minister Dr. Reich Adriko

Shs. 130 million

Hon. Minister Matthew Rukikaire

39.98

Mrs. Sheba Rukikaire (ministers wife)

42.80

Hon. Minister Sam Njuba

26.99

Mrs. Getrude Njuba (minister's wife)

33.96

Hon. Minister Betty Okwir

69.46

Solicitor General, Pierre Kabatsi

17.20

Secretary to the Treasury,
Tumusiime Mutebere (interest free loan)

11.65

Hon. Minister Stephen Kavuma

26.80

Hon. Joyce Mpanga

58.50

Hon. Major Amin Onzi

36.20

Hon. Obiga Kania

16.60

Hon. J. Zimula Mugwanya

53.32

Hon. Dr. William Kaberuka

30.84

Hon. Okodi Levi

17.20

Hon. Sam Kuteesa

26.93

" " " " (under Uganda Motors)

848.00

Hon. Israel Kayonde

233.68

Hon. David Kibirango

10.10

Hon. Omara Atubo

19.70

Hon. William Wanendeya

38.94

The late Minister Kafumbe-Mukasa

31.86

The late Yafesi Sabiti

79.30

Hon. Tom Apila

10.13

Hon. Yona Kanyomozi

3.00

NRM's business insiders who are major pushers of corruption are
also among prominent bank swindlers. The list of these operatives
is very long. Unfortunately, theft true identities are hidden in
company names. Only two names were unveiled, and those are:

Mr. Haruna Ssemakula of General Parts Co.

2.98 billion

Archbishop Makumbi of Evangelical Church

19.74 million

UCB's top managers alone owe the bank a total of 3 billion
shillings. Among those are:

Frank Mwine (former Managing Director)

361.79 million

W.N. Nabudere

174.6

E. Nkwanga

172.61

B.R. Kizza

37.9

F. Byamugisha

11.63

UCB lost an additional $12 million in a rural credit scheme,
according to Africa Analysis. Under that scheme, signature loans
were made to Tutsis and Himas for the purpose of buying up land
mostly in Buganda and dislodge the powerful Baganda from their
ancestral land. If this sinister plan succeeds, Buganda will be
populated and controlled by Tutsis, thus scattering Baganda into
obliteration. That scheme which is part of the Tutsi master plan
of colonizing East Africa, has a title of "Ranch Restructuring
and Anti-Nomadism". It recently surfaced under the Ministry of
Agriculture with a nyarwanda Deputy Minister (John Nasasira).

Africa Analysis of Sept. 94, reports that "American organizations
have virtually taken control of Uganda's commercial banks in
order to save them from collapse. The bail-out is spearheaded by
U.S.A.I.D. and I.T.T." The paper also reports that other
American companies are expected to participate in a proposed
restructuring of the country's central bank (The Bank of Uganda).

American officials know that the collapse of Uganda's banks is
caused by corrupt self-imposed rulers. They also know that the
people of Uganda are consistently demanding democratic
governance. Instead, the entire cabal (USA, UK, World Bank/IMF
and Nordic countries) opted for undermining their own countries'
commitment to the promotion of democracy and sneered at Ugandans'
struggle for a democratic, responsible government freely elected
by the people. It is clear that America's financial bail-out of
Nyandwi's (Museveni) corrupt, self-imposed and illegal regime is
immoral, inhumane, despicable and sacrilegious.

Recall in the 1950s when FIRESTONE CO. virtually owned Liberia
and the exploitation it unleashed. Tax and Customs collection
were run by Firestone and the population was reduced to mere
serfs, peons and squatters. The U.S. State Dept. was not ignorant
of the ongoing Firestone exploitation of Liberia. In the case of
Uganda, ITT is playing similar tricks which will obviously
antagonize Ugandan-American cordial relations. What is happening
in Algeria today, could easily be replayed in Uganda.

A foreign company's major objective, be it, I.T.T, Firestone or
British East African Co. is to make profits for its owners. It is
a fallacy to claim that profit-seeking companies are coming to
"help". Kampala International Hotel was built with Uganda's money
and owned by Uganda. During that time, many nationals enjoyed its
facilities. It is now owned by I.T.T. under a new name of
"Kampala Sheraton Hotel", enjoyed by foreign bank-rollers of
Museveni's regime and members of the Tutsi junta. ITT's
encroachment into Uganda's banking system has empowered it to
suggest that it will revise UCB's charter. The question is, to
suit whom? Foreign companies have a tendency of maximizing piracy
whenever given a chance to influence the drafting of laws which
could establish the modus operandi of their own businesses in a
foreign land. A classic example of that exploitation was in Libya
when foreign oil companies had the liberty of drafting the laws
that were to govern the newly discovered oil industry. Their
shameless braggadocio of claiming to have given Libya her "oil
industry laws" had an influence on the subsequent Libyan
revolution.